The Bits And Pieces
The Blurb Fawnpaw comes from a big family.Things are tough,fighting over the best nest,best prey,and,most importantly,fighting her sisters for the attention of Brackenpaw,the most handsome tom in the Clan. To make things worse,Fawnpaw's life is upside down.It's up to her and her annoying siblings to fill in the bits and pieces,and make them a family again. Chapter 1 I'm not gonna lie.I'm lucky,okay?Except for the fact that I have the WORST siblings in the world.They drive Me crazy.There is... Poppystone,Reedclaw,Bramblecloud,and Troutfang,the oldest litter. Honeyberry and Dawnlight,six moons younger. Windpaw,Skypaw,Hawkpaw,and me,Fawnpaw.We are six moons younger than the two toms. And the youngest litter,Greenkit,Silverkit,Treekit,Littlekit,and Streamkit. Somehow,someway,I have almost half the Clan sharing a den with Me.I guess I'm lucky to HAVE siblings when I could be an only kit,but sometimes I DO NOT feel lucky. For example,Poppystone gets their best of EVERYTHING.Best nest,first pick of prey,and the COOLEST tom in the WHOLE FOREST has only eyes for my big sister.Yelloweyes is a handsome tom with strong muscles.He is smart and brave and Poppystone will obviously be his mate,the lucky cat. So,nothing in a big family is fair.Ever.End of story.Except it's worse when the family gets bigger... Chapter 2 Early one night in leaf-bare my father Swanfang came into the den with a grave look on his face.My mother Ivywillow padded over from where she grooming the little ones.Poppystone and Hawkpaw where gossiping and making sure their fur looked just right.Ever since we were kits Hawkpaw followed in Poppystone's pawsteps and,someday,we will all be doomed.Windpaw was teaching Greenkit how to play mossball,and Troutfang was asleep. “Father,"I asked,sitting up from where I had slouched over after dinner.Sickness was going around camp and I wasn't feeling well,but that was the least of our problems,the way Father looked upset. Father looked over at Me and smiled,but something pained and worried was locked behind his eyes.“Hello,Fawnpaw.Are you feeling any better?" I shrugged.“Some.What's wrong?" Father sat down on the floor,and the little ones bounded over to sit next to him.It was the calm moments of dusk that I appreciated my siblings,even perfect Poppystone and her shadow,Hawkpaw.But what Father would tell us in the next few moments would change everything.This would be our last calm evening together.Our last night all telling stories and laughing in our den that was never exactly big enough. “Today at Shaderocks,StreamClan attacked.We have to protect the rocks."Dawnlight and Skypaw nodded.They always listened to every word Father said about battle.That's what I like about them: they're brave,strong,they don't let any cat hurt them.“But,"Father said,“Reedstar said that all warriors must go,and with this sickness in the camp we are outnumbered,"he paused here,then glanced at Mother.“And any queen that's not nursing kits must go." Chaos broke out.Troutfang woke from his nap,Poppystone asked endless questions with Hawkpaw repeating them,the kits wailed while Windpaw tried to calm them down,and Dawnlight wanted to know everything about StreamClan.While all this was going on,I was regretting that extra mouse I had for dinner. Honeyberry yelled excitedly “I'll get to fight!" “No,"Father said,“You just got over the sickness,remember?It could come back."In a big family what one kit has,we all have.Besides Honeyberry,Troutclaw,Dawnlight,and Treekit were still recovering and Bramblecloud,Skypaw,and Hawkpaw had been feeling dizzy.Poppystone said her stomach hurt but she hasn't been acting like it; I think she said it to get out of doing anything. “Settle down!"Mother yowled.Once everyone got quiet,she began,“You will be able to spare me for a day.Young ones,"she said,addressing the kits,“You are no longer small and can eat prey like the others.You will be fine,and Poppystone will be in charge." When she said that,I nearly gagged.That extra mouse had REALLY been a bad idea.Apparently,Reedclaw agreed.“POPPYSTONE is in charge?Mother,if you put her in charge,you'll come back and we will all have died from overload of sarcasm!" Mother sighed.“It really won't be so bad,Reedclaw." “Yes,it will!"I protested.“All she ever does is hang out with her dumb friends!She would be so distracted when hunting,we'd be lucky if we got CROWFOOD for dinner!" “Hey,"Father said disapprovingly,“Poppystone is oldest and will be in charge tomorrow when we go to battle.Understand?" We all nodded,though the thought of listening to Princess Furball made me sick. ---- Early the next morning I woke in pure agony.My stomach was so sore that when Father brought Me breakfast I couldn't even look at it without gagging.My head hurt and no matter how I squirmed in my nest I couldn't get comfortable. “We'll be home by dark,alright?"Father said calmly.We nodded and he walked out of the den. As soon as the battle patrol left,Poppystone said “I'm going hunting with Ripplewind.Be back soon!"Of course,by hunting she means eating all her kill and using “it got away" as an excuse.So,we didn't expect any food.Not that I cared. Our den was average size when Mother and Father met.Then they squeezed in a few more nests when the first litter was born.Things got crowded when Honeyberry and Dawnlight came along,and from there it's been constantly adding to the den so there is space.Still,it is cramped,so when Windpaw tried to walk to the entrance to get to the dirtplace,she bumped into Bramblecloud who shoved her into me.Her forepaw hit hard and I groaned loudly.Windpaw didn't notice and kept walking. I thought my head would explode and my stomach was churning.Of course,Littlekit had to use the dirtplace when Windpaw came back.This time instead of a paw I faced a tiny flying kit,and I went from moaning to retching.And,my nest is right next to Poppystone's. I'm such a lucky cat. Chapter 3 Late that afternoon Poppystone was growling at me,and of course she brought home no kill. Mother walked in moments later,her fur caked with blood and dust.The kits squealed and bounded over.She was excited to see them,but pain and sadness clouded her gaze. “Mother?"Skype asked,“Is something wrong?" Mother's eyes mister over when she whispered,So low that she was barely heard,“Your father." She didn't go on but I knew what she meant,and I gasped.“Mother,no!"I wailed like a kit.She just shook her head,her tail low. The next morning I was feeling a bit better,but I was just as miserable without Father.Every morning I wished us goodbye as he went to hunt.This morning was filled with eerily sad silence. Hawkpaw didn't touch her prey and I fear she has taken ill.Poppystone still complains of a sore stomach but acts as cheerful as ever.I'm surprised that Mother doesn't notice. The kits are taking this hard.Silverkit didn't even play mossball when the kits across the clearing invited her.I'm worried about my little sister.I'm worried about everything. Why is everything so hard? About the Author Gigglepaw is the author of several Warriors fanfictions,including the Shadows Falling series and the Heart's Desire books.She ADORES reading and loves mermaids. Category:Fanfiction Category:In progress